Vegan Zuppa Toscana

This vegan zuppa toscana is a delicious, dairy-free version of an Olive Garden classic! It's SO creamy and it's loaded with meatless Italian sausage, buttery potatoes, kale, and vegan bacon.

Course Dinner

Cuisine American

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 55

Total Time 1 10

Servings servings

Calories 352kcal

Author Stacey Eckert

Equipment

Medium Saucepan
Blender or Food Processor
Medium Bowl
6-Quart Dutch Oven or Large Soup Pot

Ingredients

Sunflower Cream

1 cup raw sunflower seeds
3 cups water divided

Vegan Zuppa Toscana

1 lb vegan Italian sausage (I used Field Roast Italian sausages)
1 medium yellow onion diced
6 medium garlic cloves minced
¼ tsp chili pepper flakes (add more to taste)
1 tsp salt
½ tsp black pepper
1.5 lbs yukon gold potatoes chopped
4 cups low-sodium vegetable broth
2 cups water
3 cups lacinato kale stems removed, massaged, and thinly sliced
2 tbsp lemon juice
½ cup vegan bacon crumbled (I used Sweet Earth vegan bacon)

Instructions

Sunflower Cream

Put the raw sunflower seeds and 2 cups of water in a medium saucepan and bring it to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-high and let it cook for 10 minutes. Drain any excess water from the pan.
Transfer the seeds to a small blender cup or food processor. Add 1 cup of cold water and blend on high until the mixture is smooth and creamy. If the texture is grainy, keep blending until it is smooth or it will make the soup have a gritty texture.

Vegan Zuppa Toscana

In a large Dutch oven or soup pot over medium heat, saute the vegan sausage links. Use a spatula to break it up into medium-sized crumbles. Let the crumbles brown for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Transfer it to a separate bowl.
Add the diced onion to the pot and cook for 10 minutes. Add the minced garlic, chili flakes, salt, and pepper. Cook for 1 minute.
Add potatoes, 4 cups vegetable broth, and 2 cups of water to the pot. Bring it to a simmer, cover it, and reduce the heat to medium. Cook for 20 minutes or until the potatoes are tender.
Stir in the sunflower cream, kale, lemon juice, and cooked sausage. Let it cook until the kale starts to wilt a little bit. Taste and add more seasonings to your preference. (I usually put an extra ¼ tsp chili pepper flakes for a little heat.)

Notes

Store leftover zuppa toscana soup in an airtight container in the fridge for 3 days.

Slow Cooker Instructions

Combine onion, garlic, dried seasonings, potatoes, vegetable broth, and 2 cups water in a large slow cooker. Set it to High and cook for 3 ½ hours. While it's cooking, make the sunflower cream and brown the sausage. After 3 ½ hours, stir in the sunflower cream, lemon juice, kale, and cooked sausage. Put the lid back on and cook for 30 minutes.

Nutrition